Exhaust Flange Repair 

Rich, when I get home and fire up the computer the first thing I look for on RU-vid is a new video from Richpin06a. I also enjoy watching your buddy Scotty Kilmer's videos, both of you guys have saved me a lot of money with my Saturn Sl2 with your excellent repair videos. You make auto repairs look so easy.

Excellent tip Rich, thanks again. Looks like you folks use way more salt than we do up here in Winnipeg. I've got a 2000 Malibu, the flange bolts are nearly rotted out but the undercarriage is in much better shape than your Impala. When it gets to about -25 C up here, they start using more sand than salt on the roads. I'll use your tip to fix my flanges next spring. Thanks again, Brian.

Your videos have saved the day at least twice in the past. First my Saturn secondary air system then the broken tensioner. Today's problem was how to fix the exhaust flange on my Jeep. After some searching and wasted time, I came across your video and heard your familiar voice. Your video was again exactly what I needed. Next time I'll start with your site. Thanks for doing what you do. All the best to you.

worked like a charm. used longer bolts to attached split flanges don't forget the exhaust gasket that fits your car. Thanks Rich.

Nice video. Good lighting, good camera angle, sound is fine. Thanks for going through the trouble to make a good video.

love your videos, especially on the saturn s series, my car has been running a1 because of your vids, when ever i have a problem i run to your page, and run back outside and fix it, thanks so kindly please keep it up on the s series

I found some of those flange repair kits out of the package, couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was other than it looked like an exhaust piece. Thanks for the info

They like the models till late 90's they are very reliable and cheap. All the used cars go to Black Africa or North Africa (Morocco Algeria Tunisia). There is a very massive "second" market of used cars,especially french brands.

Thanks for the easy workaround. I wouldn't have thought to enlarge the split flange by grinding it.

The problem here in MA is people do not want to slow down when the weather gets bad so there are tons of accidents.They use straight salt to get the roads clear so anyone can go 60 miles an hour.

Hi Rich, great video for my problem, thank you. I have the same problem at the end where I probably need the sealant. I was wondering how you go about applying that? Thanks again

Rich, I brought my Saturn from Detroit to California where I live now and every time I visit a mechanic's repair shop here in the LA area they tell me to get rid of the car, it has rust underneath. I looked under the car and it looks great in my opinion, nowhere near as bad as what you have been working on in New England.

Rich, Looks like you needed a set of extra hands to get the pipes lined up. I have done this repair myself and I can attest to a little swearing while I was working on it. Good Job, Great Vid. Take Care

You bet and this weekend and next the colors of the leaves up here should be great.Time to take a long ride in my "56"

Great video, thank you...however, i wished that you shown us how to take the old flange apart...they look like pins that are all rusted...do i have to break them to get the flange apart?

Great video. Where do you measure to figure out what size flange kit you need? The old flange between the catalytic converter and resonator measure between 2 3/4 and 3 inches on a 2002 Buick Regal.

Purrrrrrrfect..............Good job Rich.

i really love all his videos thanks again rich!!

Is it the muffler hanger that you are trying to replace.

Those split flanges can be used on a lot of vehicles.

I have done this on the s-series were i went down to the local muffler shop and they gave me a flange then i welded it on the cat and i was back in business.

Thanks for the heads up.

richpin06a how did you get the rusted bolts off. I have the exact issue right now and can't get those bolts out. I'm scared I'll damage the flanges. They look in ok shape...

thank you sir, i dont know much about working on cars and this helped me like you wouldnt believe. Damn salt!!

By New England standards it is in wicker pisser shape.

That was great I will have to remember this one....

Whaaaa!!! I just had Midas replace mine on my Saturn S about 1-1/2 months ago same problem! I didn't know they made flanges like that? Run me over $1200 at Midas Whaaaaaaa!!!

I am not sure.

Good stuff , looks like some fuel and brake line work is on its way as well.

san379, it was bought at AutoZone.

you guys sure get it tough on the East coast. But theres no where like New England in October :)

EXACT same spot that my Impala's exhaust broke. It makes no sense to me why they made that ONE part of the exhaust out of shitty steel when the rest is all stainless.

fantastic product... i need that kit.. im in canada..where did you buy that thing

if you have a leak in that area.. would it cause humming inside the car once you press your gas pedal? or once the engine revs? Thanks!

Will these repair flanges work if there absolutely no flange left on both sides that will be coming together.

Nice save Rich. To do both the cat and resignator would have cost $250 just in parts.

Where they both the same size split flanges? Same part (s) number? Instead of trimming off the excess is there another size split flange i can use?

It's an aspect of planned obsolescence. It's used a lot in car manufacture. The part is designed to fail at some point, forcing the consumer to buy a replacement if they want a functioning vehicle. It's a tightrope that manufacturers walk between forcing consumers to buy parts and/or repairs and satisfying expectations of product lifetime. They could make it so that it lasts forever like the rest of the exhaust, it doesn't cost them any more. But they want you to come to them for repairs.

Hell, here in Canada the rockers could be rusted out and she's still good for a another couple years.

that resonator will start leaking outta the seam that is splitting just a heads up i see these things all the time working in an exhaust shop

I bought this one from Autozone.

I have a very important question what Auto Parts store or hardware place did you get them clamps? I found I have the same problem at the same spot on our 2000 Buick Century.

I got it at Autozone.

I have a 2000 nissan frontier v6 4x4 and have the same similar problem. where can i buy the flange repair kit? i have looked everywhere and cant find the correct one for my truck.

Ya those CA guys see a little rust and they freak out.

Help. I ordered a couple of flanges like those that do not open. How did you open them to go around pipe? Did I get the wrong ones?

nice save. what do you think this repair should cost in a shop?

Jaysus Rich, I would be more concerned with the condition of that chassis leg then the exhaust!

Just knocked out the old rusted bolts with a air chisel.

At around the :45 mark, what are those two rubber rings called and what are they for? I have one loose hanging under my car.

Thanks...i figured it would come to that....i have one too

Hi...me, again.....I tried every thing...air cut-off; air chisel & air mini hack saw.....it's not happening....i set up the new flange as you instructed...But, i just can't get it apart....ouch!

Couldn’t find these on Autozone website

Actually I think some european cars now come with lifetime warranties but I'm not too sure exactly how that would work... And I live near Toronto, Ontario and I've noticed that new cars will begin to rust within 3-4 years of leaving the factory, whereas there is ex-military 1985 GMC 2500's for sale which are SPOTLESS. Not a bit of rust on them. I don't know if it's because they maintain them so well, but I also know that the military gets 80% efficient vehicles, we get 20% efficiency. Go figure

Nice

My bolts were so rusted that they were smaller than they were originally. I figured there was no way in hell I’d be able to get them off without snapping it and hammering it through the bolt holes in the flanges. I took channel locks and tried to snap it off, the rust was so bad it ended up just snapping both flanges and the gasket in half.☹️

I would put a clamp back on myself.The size is 1 3/4.

where did you buy the split flange kit?

How did you remove the original rusty bolts?

Just turn the radio up louder.

Great video:)

Jesus the car is already rusted out lol

Hey Rich, would this work on a 97' Mitsubishi galant?

In pa. That frame rot would fail state inspection. Unsafe to drive. Junkyard time..

Good move thanks!

Those Exhaust Resonators are Famous for leaking also....

I don't understand it ether.

First you have to find one of those cars.

You sound like Manny from Ice Age :) I'll try this fix, thanks!

Peugeot. "Pigout" is how the Arabs pronounce it here with their typical accent. : )

nice!!!

New England?... howcome you only work on america cars? lol, also you dont have an English accent, I would have never guessed! lol I would like to see you work on a rare euro car like a citroen, renault or pigout something we dont see here in america, I would like to see their engines and interiors :)

I'm all for trying to save the customer money, but IMO that will start leaking again in a couple of weeks, and you'll be under there again.

these don't work... have 2.5 inch piping and got the 2.5 inch flange but it doesn't lock down

Car Sounds like a diesel at end of video

O that is funny.

Only on the bottom......lol

your car will go before exhaust will need repair again looking at the rust!

my resonator had a hole rusted in it

Car a exhaust leak make the check engine light come on

Holy fuck that car is rusty, i wouldnt even bother tbh :S

That car looks like it's about had it.

3-4 more years??? By NY's standards, that car wouldn't pass inspection because of that frame.

All I hear is chevy yay this, chevy yay that. Who, in all shit that is reality made a dual bend between a flange fitting. I'll tell you who, chevy. This fix works, for other manufacturers. This was an engineering fail. Any exhaust system with a fitting like that is proof positive, of oops. Lest not forget, the insurmountable fail for this design, or excuse being the O2 sensor. Did ya forget?